Improvement in explosive compounds or dynamises



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. KALMBACH, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS OR ovnmmnss.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,086; dated July 14, 1874; application nled June 24, 1874. -1

' To alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. KALM- BAOH, M. E., of Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have in'yented a new and useful Improvement in Explosive Compounds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription of the mode of preparing the same.

Along familiarity with nit'ro-glycerine and its uses has convinced me that it is safest to manufacture it at the place where it is to be used particularly as such manufacture requires but very simple and inexpensive apparatus and involves no risk whatever from premature explosion. When manufactured and thoroughly cleansed from free acid it may be kept for years with perfect safety, if due regard be had for its natural peculiarities.

' e first necessity is to avoid anything like a conh'nementthat would make'an "mount of compression possible. For that reason I have stored it for years in well-glazed earthenware vessels, called crooks in the trade, without any cover except, perhaps, a little water. "There is but one way to explode nitroglycerine in such a vessel, (uncovered,) and that is to slowly raise the temperature of thwhole to 360 Fahrenheit. Many hundred experiments and close observations while applying it in an extended practice have satisfied'me that the theory so long universally accepted, that nitro-glycerine explodes by concussion,

isau errorand toblame for many lamentable accidents. I find, also, that compression, es peeially compression brought about or accompanied by concussion, will inevitably cause an explosion. Therefore, nitro-glycerine should never be kept or carried in thin metallic can stin, for instance. If kept in frangible vessels the months or openings should be nearly as large as the largest part of the inside unless such vessels are never quite half filled. It

should not be allowed to freeze, since it is then particularly liable to explosive compression. I am aware that it is claimed to be safer to keep and ship in a frozen state in tin cans, and that to this day it is so shipped, but

I also know that several hundred'lives have been lost in consequence of this very precaution." I stand ready to explode every can of frozen nitro-glycerine without primeror fuse,

or even without goiug near it at all. On. the other hand, a strong fuhuinate primer may be exploded in a stone jug or glass carboy of liquid nitro-glycerine without causing an exstituted for the sand of the former. Ufeeursethe sand adds nothing and the vegetable very little to the strength, though they d0 add largely to the safety, because of their porosity, or th'elarge proportion of air they hold in their interstices. Necessarily their value dc; pends solely on the amount of nitro-g'lycerine they have absorbed-at most twenty-five per cent of their weight. 1

I have invented a substance which I call fulguritc, which, while occupying much less. space than d ynamitc'or dualin, is a far stronger explosive than either of them. It consists of nitro-glycerine mixed with some coarsely-.

ground farinaceous substanoe-corn-1neal, by.

preference-in varying proportions. Perhaps the most serviceable proportion is .four parts corn-meal to six of nitro-glyeerine, but I find it convenient sometimes to use but one part corn-meal to nine of nitro-glyeerine, when I want it thin enough to pour. This compound (in all proportions) makes a batter or dough which can be put into horizontal or upward holes without cartridge. It can also be .put into broken or scam y holes, as 'it does not run, and only needs the cartridge under water. Being nearly pure starch, it yields a large volume of gas when the heat of theexplosion reduces it, and thus sensibly assists the nitro glycerine. It is very porous, hence-elastic, and consequently safer than pure nitro-glyceriue. It freezes at 45 Fahrenheit, and when frozen is practically in'explosive-must 'be thawed before using. Other farinaceous and even saccharine substances may be used for the same purpose, but none of them that I pherie air; and ot'stowing the same, when not lhavetried areas safe, while corn-meal yields in transit, in perpendicular or flaring-sided to none nl' them in PlilULlCill effectiveness, and open vessels-0t similar material and i-m'ei'ingk, 1 therefore designate earn-meal as the very only with a lilni of Water.

hestniaterial for nsein working inyinvention. 2. A new explosive (20111110111111, made by What 1 claim as my invention, and desire mixingnitro glyeerinewitheorn-nieal oreqnhto secure by Letters Patent, isalent substance, substantially as set forth.

1. The mode of )aekim nibrolyeerine at 1 w v ordinary temperatnies and in a llu id state. for 5 HARM} sh pment, in non-metallic vessels, closed, it Witnesses: need be, but holding, \viih the nitro-glycerine, ASA ROGERS, at least an equal amount in hull; of atmos- .l. H. HRNRl. 

